CIBJO Celebrates 100 Years with 2026 Centenary Congress in Vicenza, Italy

The World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) has officially opened registration for its landmark 2026 Centenary Congress. This significant event, marking 100 years since CIBJO’s establishment in 1926, will be held in Vicenza, Italy, from Friday, September 4, to Monday, September 7, 2026. The congress venue is the Fiera di Vicenza, coinciding with the VICENZAORO jewellery show.

A Historic Gathering

The 2026 Congress is particularly momentous as it commemorates a century of CIBJO’s service to the global jewellery, gemstone, and precious metals industries. Originally founded in Paris, France, in 1926 as BIBOA to represent European trade interests, the organization was restructured in 1961 into CIBJO, expanding its scope to a worldwide platform. CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri expressed enthusiasm for the event, stating, 'The 2026 congress will celebrate not only CIBJO, but also the jewellery community in its entirety. And it’s most appropriate that this will happening it Vicenza, the beating heart of the Italian jewellery industry, which in turn is the trend maker, intellectual trust and keeper of the flame of our glorious industry.'

Congress Venue and Host

The congress will be hosted by the Italian Exhibition Group, the renowned organizer of major jewellery shows including VICENZAORO (held in January and September), T Gold, Oroarezzo in Italy, and JGTD | Jewellery Gem & Technology in Dubai. The choice of Vicenza, a city described as the ‘beating heart of the Italian jewellery industry’, underscores the event’s significance.

Congress Programme and Objectives

CIBJO Congresses serve as the primary annual gathering for the World Jewellery Confederation’s Assembly of Delegates. They also host the annual meetings of CIBJO’s various sectoral commissions. During these meetings, critical amendments can be introduced to the organization’s comprehensive directories of international industry standards, known as the Blue Books. These standards cover a wide range of materials and practices, including diamonds, coloured stones, pearls, gemological laboratories, precious metals, coral, and responsible sourcing.

Furthermore, the congress provides a platform to report on the initiatives of the World Jewellery Confederation Education Foundation (WJCEF). It also highlights CIBJO’s ongoing collaboration with the United Nations, particularly its commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Registration and Information

Interested delegates and participants can now register for the 2026 Centenary CIBJO Congress through a dedicated website: www.cibjo.org/congress-2026/. The website offers a tentative congress programme, essential travel information, details about Vicenza and the congress venue, as well as news updates. An online registration form is available, and attendees can secure hotel accommodations at special congress rates via links provided on the site.

The CIBJO Congress remains the jewellery industry’s foremost international forum and decision-making body, uniting all stakeholders from mining to retail and across all production, manufacturing, and trading sectors.